The $249.99 TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music is an upgrade to the original Spark Cardio + Music, one of our favorite fitness trackers for runners. Lightweight and waterproof, the Spark 3 automatically tracks loads of activities and has 3GB of onboard storage for the ability to listen to music without your phone nearby. It also adds Route Exploration, which lets you create and upload running routes directly to the tracker. You need a PC to upload routes and music, and the Spark 3 doesn't deliver notifications from your phone, like many trackers do, including our Editors' Choice in this price range, the Fitbit Surge. If you can live with these issues, however, the Spark 3 is a great choice for music-minded athletes.

Availability

Four models of the Spark 3 are available. The base model costs $129.99, making it one of the most affordable trackers to combine built-in GPS and a waterproof design. The $169.99 Spark 3 Music model comes with 3GB of onboard storage for music and a pair of Bluetooth headphones. The $189.99 Spark 3 Cardio adds a built-in heart rate sensor, but excludes the onboard storage and headphones. Finally, the $249.99 TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music, the focus of this review, has everything, including continuous heart rate monitoring, 3GB of storage, and headphones.

All of the trackers have built-in GPS tracking, the new Route Exploration feature, and can be submerged up to 130 feet underwater. They only come in black, though you can purchase different colored straps for $24.99 and up.

Design and Display

The Spark 3 looks almost exactly like the original model. It's the same size and weight, at 2.7 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and 1.8 ounces. It's lightweight and comfortable, and I had no problem wearing it all day. But it's not exactly fashionable, with a chunky, industrial look. If you want a slimmer runner's watch with built-in GPS and heart rate monitoring, you should check out the Garmin Forerunner 35, which measures 1.4 by 1.6 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.3 ounces.

The main distinguishing design feature here is the Cyclopean button below the display. It's very big, but that makes it easy to use when you're sweaty or wearing gloves. You can click it at the top, bottom, left, or right corner to navigate through the on-screen interface. One press is usually all it takes to change an option, view a metric, or select a music track while working out, though some more complex features, like Route Exploration, require a few more. It's worth noting the GPS receiver is located behind the button so that it's positioned toward the sky.

The strap is different from the previous Spark. Though it looks the same on the surface, with perforations down the middle and a similar snap-on buckle, the inner side is softer and textured, which helps wick sweat. That said, I still had to wipe the band clean after jogs.

The Spark 3 has the same 2-inch monochrome LCD with 168-by-144-pixel resolution as the previous Spark. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as the letters and numbers are big and bold, and they're easy to see in direct sunlight. It's still tough to view in the dark though, and to activate the backlight you have to cover the display with your hand, which is inconvenient. The display is modular, so you can pop it up and slip it into other straps. You can also lock it onto a flexible bike mount.

The battery lasts up to 11 hours with GPS enabled, and up to five hours with GPS, heart rate, and music all firing at once. When simply tracking everyday activity, it can last up to three weeks, which is excellent. For comparison, the previous Spark lasted five hours when only using GPS, just like the Fitbit Surge. The Garmin Forerunner 35 lasts up to 13 hours with GPS activated.

Setup, Apps, Music Playback, and Routes

You need three separate apps to make use of all of the Spark 3's features: an in-browser Web application, a mobile app, and PC software.

To pair the watch with an Android or iOS device, download the free TomTom MySports app, open it, sign up for a MySports account (if you don't already have one), and choose Pair. I connected the watch to a Samsung Galaxy S6. Once paired, you can check the battery, change the clock to 12- or 24-hour time, set fitness goals, turn the heart rate sensor on or off, switch to airplane mode, and adjust your profile settings. Alternatively, you can set up the watch by plugging it into your PC and using the MySports Connect software for Mac or Windows, which is basically the same as the mobile app, with your data shared across both platforms.

The mobile app is the same as we've seen with other TomTom trackers. The layout is simple, but there's not much to do with your data besides look at it. There's nothing in the way of coaching or guidance, so if you're figuring out how to train for a 5K or marathon, you'll want to check out a tracker with an app that offers more guidance, like the Polar A360. If you don't want to use MySports, you can send your data to MapMyRun, Strava, Runkeeper, or a number of other fitness apps.

Aside from setup, you need the PC software for when you want to upload playlists to the Spark 3, so you can stream music directly from the watch to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. You can't just drag and drop the files, though; you need to pinpoint and upload them using the app. Mac users have to use iTunes as a middleman to add music through the Connect app. It's a slow process, and I wish you could just upload files through the mobile app.

That said, sound quality over the included pair of Bluetooth headphones is solid, and the signal never dropped. But the headphones themselves are a little thick and rubbery, and the default ear tips (the box comes with three sizes) kept jostling out. Still, the option to have motivational music without your phone nearby (especially useful for running and swimming) is one of the Spark 3's best attributes.

The MySports Web app is where you create and upload running routes to the watch. You need to plug the Spark 3 into your computer with the charger, and log in with your MySports account info. To create routes, you save your past runs as GPX files (the most common GPS file format) in the browser, download them, and then upload them to the Spark 3. You can also use Google or MapMyRun to search for GPX files.

Features and Performance

Once all the setup is out of the way, actually using the Spark 3 is a cinch. Equipped with a three-axis accelerometer, GPS, heart rate sensor, and compass, the Spark 3 tracks active minutes, calories, distance, splits, and steps.

All supported activities, including cycling, gym workouts, indoor and outdoor runs, and swimming, have their own menus where you can customize goals and settings. For example, you can adjust your bike's wheel size or the size of a swimming pool. You can also use the watch as a stopwatch, set up and view heart rate zones to stay in, and race against previous times. Unfortunately, you still have to start a new session and then press the up button to view your stats on the watch.

Unlike the first Spark, the Spark 3 usually took about 30 or so seconds to obtain a GPS signal, which is about average in my experience. The Apple Watch Series 2, however, only takes a few seconds to lock on.

As for the heart rate monitor, accuracy is comparable with the Forerunner 35, as well as good old-fashioned pulse checks. The Spark 3 also has a heart rate recovery test you can do after each workout, and you can view your heart rate zone on the watch, letting you stay within Easy, Endure, Fat Burn, Speed, Sprint, or Custom zones.

As touched on earlier, Route Exploration is the main addition here. Basically, you can go out on a run and view a map of your route, indicated on the screen as a thin line. The line grows thicker the farther along you progress, and you can always see where your starting and end points are located. You do have to calibrate the compass before using this feature, but it only takes a few seconds of spinning the display module around. I ran through a suburban neighborhood and found my way back to my starting point easily using this feature.

Conclusions

The TomTom Spark 3 is an excellent runner's watch. It has built-in GPS and heart rate monitoring, a compass, the ability to stream music, outstanding battery life, and a waterproof design. The new Route Exploration feature is a fun, worthwhile addition for runners who want to explore new areas. If you have the patience to deal with some of the clunky software, the Spark 3 could be the fitness tracker for you. But if you want features like notifications, caller ID, and idle alerts, you should stick with our Editors' Choice, the Fitbit Surge.

Read More

About the Author

Timothy Torres is a Junior Analyst on PCMag's consumer electronics team. He covers wearables, digital home, and various cool gadgets including the occasional video game. He has written all manner of copy for Computer Shopper, The Jersey Journal, Radio One, Random House, and 2D-X. Before entering the tech world, he attended New York University and w... See Full Bio

TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music

TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.